This 5-Minute Gua Sha Routine De-Puffs and Sculpts Mature Skin: See the Before-And-After Photos

Remember when gua sha took over social media a few years back? That palm-sized stone tool, with its rounded curves and flat edges, earned its viral moment for a very good reason: It delivers a naturally lifted, sculpted look without needles, downtime or a spa bill. And for those of us dealing with unwanted puffiness or dullness, the payoff of adding gua sha tools to our skincare routine can be huge. So we asked the experts how to get started with a gua sha routine today—and what kind of before-and-after results you can really expect.

What gua sha is and why mature skin loves it

Gua sha has deep roots in Chinese medicine and a wide range of uses, but it broke through the beauty world for its ability to contour, lift and de-puff the face. Think of a gua sha massage as gentle strength training for the muscles and tissues you rarely think about.

“Gua sha can be used as a light facial massage, to reduce facial tension and, what it’s gone viral for, to lift and depuff the face. The biggest benefits of gua sha are that it boosts circulation, sculpts and lifts, relieves facial tension (especially in the jaw and forehead) and aids lymphatic drainage, which reduces puffiness in the face,” explains esthetician Jennifer Breslin of SkinSpirit. “The boost in blood flow and reduction in swelling is particularly beneficial for mature skin.”

Cecily Braden, esthetician and founder of Cecily Braden Spa & Wellness, agrees that the real magic comes down to circulation. When blood flows freely, plasma bathes cells with nutrients and oxygen and activates the lymphatic system to sweep away waste. “We age on a cellular level, not a physical one, so maintaining the health and longevity of every cell is a necessity,” she says. “Gua sha helps create internal movement and the healthy exchange of nutrients and waste within the tissue.”

Farah Daniels, esthetician and educator at Savor Beauty, adds that with consistent use, gua sha can help smooth fine lines and “lift” your features over time.

A simple gua sha routine to slim and sculpt your face

One of the biggest myths about a gua sha routine is that you should lightly sweep the stone across your skin. But to truly change how your face looks, Braden says, you have to engage the tissue underneath using light to medium pressure. She recommends a simple “gather, anchor, glide” method you can master in minutes.

What you’ll need: a gua sha tool, such as EcoTools Jade Gua Sha for less than $6 at Target, and your favorite facial oil, serum or moisturizer. A beginner-friendly gua sha routine you can try today:

1. Prep the skin. Cleanse and remove all makeup, then apply a “slip” (that’s your facial oil or serum) to your skin so the tool glides without tugging.
2. Gather. “Place the stone [gua sha] at a 15 degree angle and give it a little ‘tug,’” Braden says. “Just enough to allow the edge to connect and engage the tissue.”
3. Anchor. Use your free hand to hold the skin in front of the tool. This prevents stretching.
4. Glide. “Sweep outward, continuing to ‘gather’ the tissue, ‘anchor’ to support and sweep [‘glide’] outward,” Braden continues. (Check out a free how-to video for extra guidance.)

And don’t skip your neck and eye area. “You must start at the neck to properly drain all the toxins,” Breslin advises. For the delicate eye zone, Daniels uses a tri-luxe tool—the smooth edge to smooth, the curved edge for deeper fascia work and the rounded end to contour.

Pro tip: Chill your gua sha tool in the fridge or freezer beforehand to enhance de-puffing (Breslin prefers metal because it stays cold longer, though jade and stone tools work beautifully too). 

The gua sha before-and-after difference is real

Skeptical that a gua sha routine really works? Side-by-side photos show the change clearly. In Braden’s images, her client shows a visible reduction in swelling along the neck and jawline, plus more lifted features overall. 

In one of Daniels’ before-and-afters, only the left eye was worked on, and it looks noticeably brighter, with less puffiness and fewer dark circles than the untouched side. 

A before-and-after gua sha photo shared by @wildling_beauty of @laurenbreiding shows the same one-sided effect: The treated side reads as lifted and de-puffed, especially around the eyes.

A bonus gua sha benefit: relief from chronic migraines

Turns out your gua sha routine may do more than sculpt, as one Woman’s World reader learned firsthand. After a 2019 car accident aggravated arthritis and degenerative disc disease in her neck and jaw, Karen Schneider was left with daily migraines that acupuncture, dentists, osteopaths, ENTs and chiropractors couldn’t touch. Then she came across a gua sha video on Instagram and ordered a facial tool online for $6.

The first time she glided the stone up and down her neck, face, head and upper chest, the relief was almost instant. “In 10 minutes, the pain in my jaw and head disappeared!” she told friends. She kept up the practice morning and night.

Her experience has some science behind it. “Gua sha is associated with a reduction of pain and inflammation,” Andrew Weil, MD, says, and a study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found gua sha can reduce pain and improve movement.

“I am nearly pain-free and no longer have to even use ibuprofen,” says Schneider. “It was the best $6 I ever spent!”

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